Beer: Ratings & Reviews

2007 vintage consumed on 12/16/2009 in a snifter. A great extra. Thanks! This was aged for 12 months in stainless steel tanks and 12 months in port barrels from the Niepoort port house in Portugal.

The beer appears a color somewhere between brown and deep crimson, with a two finger beige head. The crown recedes in a little over a minute. Scattered lacing is left clinging to my glass.

The nose opens up with sweet dark fruits. I detect ripe grapes, raisins, dates, figs, caramel, a little toffee and vanilla, fruit cake, candied and brown sugar, and plums. The influence of the Niepoort barrels is blatant, providing big vinous notes that compliment the traditional barleywine characteristics. Oak is noticeable, and a pleasant level of alcohol vapor wafts from the glass with each swirl. The balance of, and interplay between the port and barleywine in the nose is utterly intoxicating. Beneath it all is a complimentary and graceful oxidation. You'll find no soy sauce or cardboard here, only rich and smooth sherry.

The flavor opens up sweet and port-like, with a strong grape, plum, and raisin presence. Vinous notes win out in the taste, while caramel and toffee settle beneath. Port macerated dates and figs are evident. Alcohol is most noticeable midpalate, and the sugar quality in the flavor is most similar to brown, thought it seems candied at times. The marriage of Port and Barleywine effects a sweetness that is at an upper level. The only evidence of hop presence in Little Korkny can be found in the upper low level of bitterness. The light oxidation is reminiscent of sherry. The finish exhibits a sudden onset of a slight tannic astringency coupled with a woody drying that ultimately leaves my palate arid, and my lips sticky...though sweet port characteristics linger. I believe I need another sip!

The mouthfeel is full, smooth, and sticky. Carbonation is at a low moderate level.

This is a rich and vinous beer that I believe accomplishes what it set out to do: confer a desirable amount of port characteristics to a barleywine. The result is a flavorful beer that is perfect for deep contemplation, a Scandinavian get away, or even...murder. Does Shaun have a monopoly on Port Barrel Barleywines? Why isn't anyone else doing this, when the results are so delicious? Seek this out.

2007 vintage poured into a snifter. Just received this in a wonderful trade with Anders, thanks man!

A- Pours a muddy, crimson color. Very cloudy, especially when held into light. Produced a fingers width of tan colored head. Dissipated pretty quickly.

S- As I let this beer decant, I began to realize how complex and masterful this aroma really is. A marriage of two distinct smells that blend together perfectly. On one hand you have this rich, malty aroma that gives off a brown sugared sweetness. Added depth gives off various scents of figs and raisins. On the other hand, you have an incredibly, vinous aroma that dominates, especially when the glass is swirled. The aroma is very similar to a nice port...big and bold with some alcohol heat. The complexity and cohesion is just a thing of beauty.

T- Very much like the aroma, but with the port aspect dominating much of the flavor. Upfront you get a sweet malt flavor that takes on a caramelized, brown sugar aspect. Mid-palate and beyond is controlled by port, sherry characteristics. Midway some dark fruit comes forth, but quickly fades as the beer transitions into a port-like beer. The latter half has a rich, vinous quality along with a solid oak finish. There is a nice, alcohol heat felt as well, very akin to big red wines. Oxidation has gotten to this beer slightly, but didn't really affect the flavors that much. Incredibly complex.

M- Medium bodied. Silky and smooth. Takes on a creamy mouthfeel. Leaves the mouth rather dry, but the flavors still seem to last a long time thereafter (an aspect of this beer that I really enjoyed). If this beer didn't have such a large port profile, I would have definitely docked some points as the carbonation level was extremely low.

D- What can I say? This beer is just great. A big beer that is meant to be sipped, not because of the high alcohol, but in order to fully enjoy the complex flavors. Can't think of better time to open this one up.

Overall, extremely impressed by this beer. I still don't understand how they were able to impart the port barrel flavors so fully. A real decadent beer that I feel lucky to be trying. I hope they make a fresh batch as I would really like the compare it to this vintage. Thanks again Anders!

Thanks to Sean (and by extension, Shaun) for the opportunity. Served in a Darkness glass. 2007 vintage, released in 2009 - bottle says 12.0% ABV.

A - Quick-dissolving tan half-finger of foam that settles out to a thick collar, some wisps, and tiny spots of lace. Very dark brown wood colored body, with lots of bubbles adhering to the sides of the glass.

S - It's amazing that after a few thousand different beers I can still encounter something totally unusual. I'm not sure if it's the added fig puree, the port barrels, or something else, but this is delicious and totally unique. Big vinous red wine, oak, some earthiness, a hard-to-peg rotten fruit musky flavor, raisins and other dark fruits, caramel, chocolate, Madeira, and light spicy alcohol esters. The alcohol isn't totally concealed, and intertwined among the other flavors it works.

T - The taste lacks the same complexity of the nose, but has its own character and merits. The initial taste is intensely barleywine, with dark fruits, and caramel sweetness, but as it crosses the palate it transitions into a full-bodied smokey red wine. As it warms up, the vinous and oak flavors intensify leaving behind only light brown sugar sweetness. Alcohol is better hidden here.

M - Very sticky, with only light tannic barrel character. Medium-full body, some alcohol warmth, and medium carbonation that is at the upper end of enjoyability for the style.

D - This was quite the decadent treat, and it's something I'd seek out again in a heartbeat. I think BA is sleeping on these gems from Nørrebro considering all the Hill Farmstead hype. I guess that means more for me. Would pair well with a nice cut of filet mignon.

Deep burgundy red with a small tanned head that leaves minimal lacings.

The smell is intense and deep with heavy malt aromas and powerful notes of vinous fruit, oak barrel and toffee. Hints of cookie dough and warming alcohol. Lovely aroma.

The taste his almost even more intense. The flavor is sweet and malty with rich caramel notes, toffee and powdered chocolate. Some toasty notes. Lovely port barrel character and vinous fruity notes (ripe plums, grapes). Some spicy and tannic bitterness. The finish packs a bit of punch from the alcohol and is nicely warming with pleasant oak flavors, spices and malts.

With it's full bodied and very smooth texture, this is a great sipper.

From notes 09SEP2010, bottle given as gift from wine geek friend whom had by chance come across it, and gotten it because they knew what a Niepoort Tawny fan I was. I need more friends like this!

I have had the Little Korkny, "standard", and this barrel aging has really put it in another league. That is to say that in my opinion, not that Korkny isn't an out of sight ale, Grolsch could be aged in one of these barrels and come out an A+!

Had a short pour in a tulip stem. No carbonation at all, but a beautiful tawny amber color and crystal clear. Amazing for a barrel-aged beer. Aroma was full of tawny port smells (toasted nuts, caramelized sugar, etc) and ruby port notes (red raspberries, red licorice, etc). A sort of blending of both strains of port. The taste was nice and rich with sweet flavors of dark caramel, a little chocolate, red berry fruits and a touch of oak-y vanilla. The finish is long and decadent.

A serious beer for serious connoisseurs. The lack of carbonation will leave some fealing jilted, but if you love wine as much as you love beer (and I do mean AS MUCH) then this is the killer hybrid indeed.

Thanks Scott for sharing this gem, and thank you Shaun for brewing it!

Thanks to TurdFurgison for sharing this gem at our Bates-motel-like abode up in Vermont during the Hill Farmstead festivities. Served in a SAVOR snifter.

Pours a murky muddy brown with a very small cap to start out, which dissipated quickly and turned into a collar. The nose brought loads of port along with some caramel. Lots of malt sweetness and a good deal of port, dark fruits, and pit fruits. Slight booze there as well. The flavor didn't contain quite as much of the port and fruit character and was more of the sweet caramel malt. Quite enjoyable. The mouthfeel was really nice -- silky smooth with just a slight bit of booze and nice port-like finish. Really delicious all around. Thanks to Eric for the chance to try this one.